too late to have a happy childhood
by an ocean of weltschmerz
Summary: Years have passed, but that doesn't make tossing your son off Mount Olympus any more okay.


**A/N: This is for Musafreen's Parental Unit Competition at Of Prompts and Challenges. I was given Hera and Hephaestus. **

**(if you can't tell, Fall and Feather are supposed to be humor, and Colleague and Eternity the constructive relationship. I tried my best?) **

**The title is a twist on the Tom Robbins quote "It's never too late to have a happy childhood."**

**There is no continuity between prompts. **

**Sorry if it sucks. **

* * *

**Pretty**

If he'd been better-looking, everything would have been different. He learned early on to accept that. So then why does it still hurt?

**Mother**

He prefers not to use that word. Hera's been anything but a mother to him.

**Bronze**

Instead of family, he has automatons. But it's okay— that's just how he likes it.

**Eternity**

Maybe one day they'll be okay. After all, they do have all the time in the world.

**Colleague **

They're civil to each other now. Even if it's only because of his job, at least it's something.

**Façade**

He'll act like he couldn't care less what she thinks. It's because he cares _too much_, and hates that he does.

**Abandon**

Sometimes, he wishes he'd been an orphan. Anything, he thinks, would be better than knowing that your mother hated you. That she didn't want anything to do with you, simply because you were ugly.

**Love**

He doesn't believe in love. He's learned the hard way not to trust anyone, to take nothing for granted.

**Old**

Some wounds just don't heal, no matter how much time passes.

**Rage**

He's not sure whether he's mad at himself for not being good enough, or made at Hera for having those expectations he can never meet.

**Cry **

He doesn't remember a time he's ever cried. Not because he's had no reason to, but because he's taught himself to be tough.

**Fall**

At least he's prepared with a sarcastic comeback if he's ever asked if it hurt when he fell from Heaven. Something along the lines of, "Mount Olympus, not Heaven. Trust me, there's a huge difference."

**Stun**

He never got used to the expressions of shock on their faces, or they way they quickly avert their eyes when they see his face. He knows exactly what it is that they're too afraid to say, "You're a _god, _how come you're so ugly?" He's had it with their surprise, had it with the expectation that he be good looking.

**Dead **

Sometimes he wonders if it would have been better if he'd died that day. At least then he wouldn't have to spend forever ugly, with nobody that truly loved him.

**Young **

He was just a little boy, forced to grow up too fast, who longed for the childhood he never had.

**Four **

When he was younger (and stupid) he had clung to the hope that Hera might someday care about him. After four years of being cruelly rejected, he gave up.

_(even worse than having to live with the constant reminder that you're ugly is knowing that your mother will never love you because of it)_

**Maze **

When he's down in the Labyrinth, he can forget everything else. And that's just how he likes it.

**Gift **

Isn't that what children are supposed to be? A _gift? _Isn't a mother supposed to _love _her son?_  
_

**Feather **

He's had the small moments of revenge (not that they made up for anything). There was that time he sent her a mechanical bird (as an anonymous gift) that delivered a horrifically out of tune performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and would not shut up. It was virtually indestructible, he had made sure of that.

**Song **

Once in a while, he still dreams of her voice, singing softly to him as he falls asleep.

_(why must he be so weak?)_

**Sun **

When it's dark, nobody will judge you on your appearance.

**Lost **

There are some things that once you lose them, they're gone forever. A mother's love is one of those.

**Fun**

He's not sure he knows the meaning of the word. He's never really had a chance to have fun.

**Change**

How different would his life have been if he'd been born to parents that cared?

**Phase**

There was a time when he'd had hope. Now, he knows better.

Hope will just hurt you in the end.


End file.
